If you wish to provide feedback or subscribe to this newsletter please contact Sasha Horsell on (03) 6222 5965 or email tasmania.statistics@abs.gov.au. We also encourage you to place this newsletter on your organisation's intranet.

To access previous editions of this newsletter from the ABS website: http://www.abs.gov.au, head to 'News and Media - ABS Newsletters'. Alternatively, to access our newsletter from the Tasmania Theme page, go to http://www.abs.gov.au, then head to 'Themes', select 'Regional', select 'Tasmania', then go to the 'Noticeboard' where you will find it under the heading 'Newsletters'.

For the year ending June 2006, Tasmania's population increased by 0.7% to 488,900 people, the slowest growth of all states and territories (national growth was 1.3%). However, within our state there was much variety of population change:

The capital city of Hobart recorded growth of 1.0% (to 205,500 people) whereas the balance of state growth was only 0.5% (to 283,400 people).

Of Tasmania's four Statistical Divisions, Greater Hobart experienced the fastest growth with 1.0%, followed by Southern (0.8%), Mersey-Lyell (0.5%) and Northern (0.3%).

Looking within those Statistical Divisions interesting differences arise, with urban areas experiencing growth (1.0% for Greater Hobart, 0.8% for Burnie-Devonport and 0.6% for Greater Launceston), while most rural areas experienced declines (-1.5% for Lyell, -0.4% for Central North, -0.3% for North Eastern and -0.1% for North Western Rural). Southern was the only rural area to experience an increase in population, with 0.8% growth.

The two fastest growing Local Government Areas (LGAs) were Sorell Municipality, with 2.8% growth (an increase of 320 people to 11,800 people) and Latrobe Municipality, with 2.6% growth (an increase of 230 people to 9100 people). The two LGAs experiencing the largest growth were Clarence City, with an increase of 520 people (1% growth to 51,100 people) and Kingborough Municipality, with an increase of 510 people (1.6% growth to 32,100 people). The fastest rate of decline occurred in the Central Highlands Municipality, down 1.6% (a decrease of 40 people to 2300 people) and the largest decline occurred in Devonport City, down 130 people (-0.5% decline to 25,100 people).

Data and products resulting from the Census of Population and Housing conducted in August 2006 are scheduled for staged release by the ABS from June/July 2007. The ABS Tasmanian Regional Office is pleased to offer to our clients an opportunity to attend a two hour information session on the release of products and services for Census 2006.

TasmaniaTogether is a 20-year plan for the State, developed from extensive community consultation. It consists of a vision for Tasmania’s future, and a set of goals and benchmarks for measuring progress. The plan has recently undergone a five-year review, and has been updated to reflect the community’s concerns and ambitions.

The revised TasmaniaTogether contains 12 goals and 143 measurable benchmarks that can be used to monitor our progress and identify the work that needs to be done to achieve our goals. Each benchmark is made up of an indicator with baseline data, and targets set at 5-year intervals.

The Progress Board provides reports on performance against the benchmarks every two years, and the plan is reviewed every five years. In this way TasmaniaTogether remains relevant as a guide for decision-makers within government and non-government organisations. Twelve headline indicators (one for each goal) have also been developed and will be reported on annually.

The Board works closely with the ABS and other relevant experts from State Government departments, the University of Tasmania and a range of business and community organisations to fill data gaps and refine the benchmarks over time. Issues where new benchmarks are to be developed include childhood obesity; social cohesion; climate change; wilderness quality; and waste management.

The goals in TasmaniaTogether are wide reaching, and will need a collaborative effort for best results. To find out how you can contribute – whether as an individual, a business, or community organisation – or if you’d like to know more, please call Tasmania Together on (03) 6233 5958 or visit http://www.tasmaniatogether.tas.gov.au.

As the Tasmanian Government representative on the Australian Statistical Advisory Committee (ASAC), I attended the annual meeting of the State Statistical Forum (SSF) that was held in Canberra on Tuesday 20 February 2007.

Lisa Wardlaw-Kelly, ABS Regional Director and Tasmanian Government Statistician also attended, as did other Regional Directors and representatives from all other states and territories.

The SSF was established some years ago to provide the states and territories with an opportunity to outline their statistical priorities for the forthcoming financial year. At the meeting, the ABS indicated that it does not have the resources to implement all of the priorities of the states and territories and that it would greatly assist the ABS if the number of priorities could be reduced.

As a consequence of this discussion, the Tasmanian Statistical Policy Committee (SPC) decided at its meeting on 9 March 2007 that, while it would continue to determine the State’s priorities, in future there would be a specific SPC meeting which would ensure that Tasmania’s priorities would be kept to the bare minimum. The Hobart office of the ABS will continue to seek priorities from each agency, but the SPC will be somewhat more rigorous in determining the final Tasmanian priorities.

Other key issues discussed at the meeting included population estimates, state and territory registrations of births and deaths, 2006 Census, national accounts, 2005-06 Agricultural Census, well-being, community indicators, and Information Development Plans (IDPs).

The final item discussed at the meeting related to the future of the SSF. All jurisdictions indicated that both ASAC and the SSF were becoming increasingly more relevant.
It was noted that the various user groups were working well and, this being the case, the SSF should concentrate more on priority setting rather than providing updates on particular issues.

The Australian Statistics Advisory Council (ASAC) website was launched 1 December 2006. ASAC was established by the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 to be the key advisory body to the Minister and the ABS on statistical services. It provides valuable input to the directions and priorities of the ABS work program and reports annually to Parliament. ASAC serves as the national equivalent of the Tasmanian Statistics Advisory Council (TSAC) and meets twice yearly. All state and territory governments are represented on ASAC. The other Council members are chosen to represent a broad cross-section of perspectives, covering government, business, academic and community interests.

The new website contains key information about ASAC, its functions, meetings, membership, annual reports, and contact details. The ASAC website can be found at: http://www.asac.gov.au.

The ABS is developing a Tasmanian 'Community of Users and Producers of Statistics' (CUPS). The Tasmanian CUPS is aimed at people interested in the production and/or use of statistics, and will serve as a forum for these people to share and acquire associated skills, knowledge and information. The CUPS project is a nationwide strategic initiative that supports the aims of the National Statistical Service (NSS) in 'linking producers and users of statistics to narrow the gap between the supply of and need for information to ensure a better information base for all Australians'. Tasmania is one of the first states to implement the national project locally.

Members of the Tasmanian CUPS will encompass a diverse range of groups and individuals who have an interest in or skills related to statistics, from government agencies and non-government organisations and businesses, to universities, students, and members of the general public. Consultation will be conducted with key stakeholders to identify potential members, events and activities. It is hoped that the ABS will initially coordinate events for members, with a longer term vision of members taking on active involvement and helping to drive the CUPS. There will be a national CUPS website (with a Tasmanian link) containing information on statistical training and career development, and links to seminars and workshops of interest to the CUPS. There will also be a range of networking activities for Tasmanian CUPS members.

For the first time Australians can now map Census data for their region from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website http://www.abs.gov.au.

In preparation for the release of 2006 Census data later this year, the ABS has released the innovative 'QuickMaps' product loaded with 2001 Census statistics.

QuickMaps gives fast, easy access to thematic maps of Census data for a specific region, completely free of charge. Designed for a range of clients, with emphasis on the novice user, Quickmaps is accessible to all Australians. With over half a million maps to choose from, QuickMaps provides users the opportunity to discover something about their community and the rest of the nation, and see how these are changing.

The clear and understandable thematic maps give an overview of the distribution of Census information without the need to analyse complex tables of figures.They are quick and easy to produce, and depict basic Census data, such as ethnicity, income and education for large geographic regions.

As an example, consider percentage home ownership for Census Collection Districts located within the Hobart Local Government Area:

Users can export the thematic maps displayed in the QuickMaps product in either Adobe Acrobat (.PDF files) or Portable Network Graphic (.PNG files) format. QuickMaps can be accessed from the ABS home page located at: http://www.abs.gov.au. Users should then click on 'Census' located at the top of the page. More detailed product information can also be obtained from the 'Census' page by clicking on 'Census Products' in the left navigation bar, then clicking '2006 Census products'. There users will find a QuickMaps Product Brief and QuickMaps Templates.

The countdown to the release of the 2006 Census data has begun with the news that the Advance Order Service(AOS) is now available.

The ABS is once again offering the AOS which allows you to pre-order Census data, tailored to your specific needs.

Demand for customised tables is high in the months following the release of census data. First release is scheduled for June/July 2007, second release expected October 2007. Using the AOS reduces waiting time by enabling you to specify your table requirements prior to the data release.

This service is perfect for those requiring large and/or complex tables. The service will ensure your customised tables are delivered to you as soon as possible after the official release of the data. Clients taking advantage of this service will have their orders processed on a 'first in, first served' basis.

ABS information consultants are available to guide you through the process and provide advice on data issues and pricing of Census tables.

For more information on how to take advantage of the Advance Order Service phone 1300 135 070. An online brochure can be accessed from the ABS home page located at: http://www.abs.gov.au and click on the 'Advance Order' icon.

Please note that the content of the data released will not be certain until a few weeks before the scheduled release date. Whilst we endeavour to meet your data requirements, this may have implications for the range or quality of variables you specify in your tables. Information Consultants will work closely with you to keep you informed of issues that may affect your information needs, and offer alternatives if available.

Tasmanian Key Indicators (TKI) is a web-based product containing a snapshot of the latest social and economic summary data on Tasmania, including labour force, wages and prices, tourism, finance, consumption and investment, state accounts, population, living arrangements, mortality, education, and health. Data is also available in spreadsheet format. This product is released on a monthly basis. It also contains links to source publications on the ABS website to enable readers to explore particular topics in more detail.

Does your organisation use the National Localities Index (NLI)? The National Localities Index (cat. no. 1252.0.55.001) provides Statistical Local Area (SLA) codes for over 32,000 Australian localities. It is currently used by many State and other government agencies to assign SLA, Statistical Subdivision, Statistical Division and State/Territory codes as defined in the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (ABS cat. no. 1216.0) to their address files.

The final issue of the NLI has now been released, for the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) 2006 and will remain current until 30 June 2007, after which it will be replaced with a web service, AddressCoder@ABS. This will be able to receive addresses and respond with the Statistical Local Area, Collection District and, eventually, Mesh Block codes. AddressCoder@ABS will be available to eligible users outside the ABS through the National Data Network. The NLI will no longer be supported.

The ABS would like to make contact with existing users of the NLI, to ensure that the transition to the new AddressCoder@ABS service is made as smoothly as possible, and offer additional support where required. However because the NLI is available free from the ABS website, we don't know who is currently using it. So if you are aware of any person or part of your agency that relies on the NLI, and may be grappling with the prospect of the change, we would like to hear from them. Please email tasmania.statistics@abs.gov.au.

Upcoming Newsletter To Provide National Coverage With A Regional Focus

The ABS Rural and Regional Statistics National Centre is pleased to announce the upcoming release of the Rural and Regional Newsletter. This biannual release will deliver information on ABS statistics and developments relevant to users of rural and regional statistics around Australia. It will also showcase the breadth of statistics available for decision-makers at a local level. The first release of this newsletter is planned for April 2007. To subscribe to this newsletter, please e-mail regional.statistics@abs.gov.au with "Subscribe - Rural and Regional Newsletter" in the subject line.

The ABS is planning to conduct surveys on Pubs, Taverns and Bars; Clubs (Hospitality); Public Libraries; Museums; and Legal Practices in respect of the 2007-08 financial year. The Service Industry National Statistics Centre (SI-NSC) will commence consultation with relevant stakeholders in April 2007.

The aim of stakeholder consultation is to develop a common understanding between the ABS and key clients of the purpose of each survey and the survey requirements relative to the purpose (priority) - eg: identify and prioritise the content, accuracy, scope; and significant issues that could impact on the survey development, implementation or output.

For the purpose of identifying relevant stakeholders for consultations in the broad development phase, the SI-NSC will contact those organisations that made relevant submissions to the 2005 Service Industry Survey Forward Work Program review.

If you did not make a relevant submission to the review but would still like to be included in the development of any of these surveys or would like further information please contact the Service Industry National Statistics Centre by email: service.industries.program@abs.gov.au.

The simplest way of thinking about the CPI is to imagine a basket of goods and services comprising items bought by Australian households. Now imagine the basket is purchased each quarter. As prices change from one quarter to the next, so too will the total price of the basket. The CPI is simply a measure of the changes in the price of this fixed basket as the prices of items in it change.

The CPI measures price changes relating to the spending pattern of all metropolitan private households. This includes a wide variety of subgroups such as wage and salary earners, the self-employed, self-funded retirees, age pensioners, and social welfare beneficiaries. The term 'metropolitan' means the six State capital cities, Darwin and Canberra. The current series population group represents about 64% of all Australian private households.

The price of the CPI basket in the reference base period is expressed as an index by assigning it a value of 100.0 and the prices in other periods are expressed as percentages of the price in the base period. For example, if the price of the basket had increased by 35% since the base year, then the index would be 135.0; similarly if the price had fallen by 5% since the base year, the index would stand at 95.0. The current reference base period for the CPI is 1989-90, although some component series have a base period other than 1989-90.

It is important to remember that the CPI measures price movements (i.e. percentage changes) and not actual price levels (dollar amounts). For instance, the index for Breakfast cereals of 143.4 and for Bread of 186.6 in the September quarter 2005 does not mean that Bread is more expensive than Breakfast cereals. It simply means that the price of Bread has increased at about twice the rate of the price of Breakfast cereals since the base period.

Similarly, the CPI cannot be used to compare price levels between capital cities. For example, the fact that the CPI All groups index in the September quarter 2005 for Hobart (150.1) was higher than in Perth (147.8) does not indicate that Hobart was more expensive to live in than Perth. Rather it indicates that prices in Hobart had risen more than in Perth since 1989-90.

The CPI is not a purchasing power or cost-of-living measure. The CPI is most useful as an indicator of price movements.

5673.0.55.001 Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics, Australia, 2003-04 (09/03/2007)
This electronic release contains selected data on the characteristics of wage and salary earners in the Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) with the highest average income from wages and salaries in 2003-04 for each state and territory. The estimates of the number of wage and salary earners and their characteristics, including age, sex, occupation and income, have been compiled from the Australian Taxation Office's (ATO) Individual Tax Return Database and are part of the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS') program to increase the range of regional data available to users of regional statistics, particularly through the use of administrative information from other government agencies.

5673.0.55.003 Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics, Australia - Datacubes, 2003-04 (09/03/2007)
These data cubes contain various cross-tabulations of the characteristics of wage and salary earners such as age, sex, occupation, wage and salary income and total income for the year 2003-04. They are an addition to the data cubes previously published under the catalogue number 5673.0.55.001. Most of the data in these tables are presented for each Statistical Local Area (SLA) in Australia. These data have been compiled from the Australian Taxation Office's (ATO) Individual Tax Return Database and are part of the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS') program to increase the range of regional data available to users of regional statistics, particularly through the use of administrative information from other government agencies.

4221.0 Schools, Australia, 2006 (26/02/2007)
Statistics on schools, students and teaching staff involved in the provision or administration of primary and secondary education, in government and non-government schools for all states and territories.

8153.0 Internet Activity, Australia, Sep 2006 (16/02/2007)
Contains details of Internet activity supplied by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Australia. It includes information on Internet subscribers and their type of connection, the type of user (business/household), the volume of data downloaded, the speed of the Internet connection and the location of the subscriber (by state or territory).

8146.0 Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2005-06 (15/12/2006)
Presents statistics on household use of information technology including, household home Internet or computer access, type of household Internet connection, Broadband Internet access by type of technology, main purpose of Internet use at home, Internet use by site, main reasons for not having Internet access, use of computer or Internet by children at any site, and much more.

8158.0 Innovation in Australian Business, 2005 (07/12/2006)
Presents statistics on the level of innovation in Australian businesses and characteristics of innovators. Data presented includes types of innovation, barriers to and drivers of innovation, collaborations, intellectual property protection and innovation expenditure. Statistics are classified by Australian and New Zealand Standard Industry Classification, State/Territory and business size based on employment.

3101.0 Australian Demographic Statistics, Jun 2006 (Released 07/12/2007)
Presents quarterly information of total population for states, territories and Australia. Includes most recent estimates of the population in five-year age groups; numbers (and some age rates) of births, deaths, infant deaths, interstate and overseas movements. Presents quarterly and/or annual time series tables throughout. Also includes population projections and estimated resident households for states, territories and Australia.

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